Honeybees are relatively harmless (at least for the most part) but they can still be an annoying pest to have around your home or business. If bees are pestering you, one of the first things you should do is identify and address anything around your property that may be attracting bees in the first place. This means moving garbage away from your property and fixing outside water leaks. The most important thing to remember when dealing with bees is that bees can be deadly, so always proceed with caution and seek help as soon as the situation starts to feel dangerous. Watch this video for more tips on dealing with bees.

The most dangerous thing about a beehive is that it’s almost impossible to tell whether common honeybees or Africanized “killer” bees are living inside. To protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors, contact a residential pest control provider serving Dublin, Livermore, and San Ramon if you have a bee problem on your property. Stay indoors until the exterminator arrives or follow the pest control company’s specific instructions for assessing your bee problem.

Although some insects are hardly dangerous by themselves, almost all species pose a major threat when they swarm. Even insects that normally pose little or no threat to humans and animals can be a destructive force when they swarm in large numbers. Here’s a look at some of the most dangerous insect swarms known to man, many of which can occur right here in the Bay Area. If you notice the beginnings of an insect swarm around your home, stay indoors and call a pest control company serving Dublin, Livermore, and San Ramon.

Fire Ants Although fire ants are primarily found in the Southeast, their range extends all the way across the bottom-half of America to the California coast. Fire ant bites are immediately noticeable and incredibly painful, and in some cases even deadly. Although it is unlikely that you will become overrun with swarming fire ants and bit to death, you may be one of the millions of Americans who develop a life-threatening allergic reaction to fire ant bites. If you are allergic, a swarm of fire ants is the last thing you want to deal with.

Yellow Jackets Unlike bees, these winged stinging insects have the ability to sting a victim multiple times. What’s worse is that yellow jackets also have the ability to signal other yellow jackets that there’s a new target: You. If you get stung by a single yellow jacket and notice others swarming nearby, get indoors immediately and call an emergency pest control company in Dublin.

Africanized Honey Bees Africanized honey bees, also known as “killer” bees, rely on the old adage that there’s strength in numbers. The venom of an Africanized honey bee is no more toxic than any other bee, but it’s the sheer number that will attack that makes a killer bee swarm one of the deadliest phenomenon in the United States. In addition to stinging and injecting venom into your flesh, thousands of killer bees swarming around your face can clog your airways until breathing is next to impossible. Because it can be hard to tell killer bees apart from their harmless cousins, contact an exterminator anytime you see a beehive or a large swarm of bees on your property.

Of course you trust a pest control company to rid your home or business of bugs, spiders, and other insects, but has it ever occurred to you that the same pest control company can also keep your lawn looking beautiful? That’s because pest control providers know how to protect your yard and plants from insects that can cause your home’s landscaping to suffer. Some pest control companies also offer weed control services to keep invasive and unwanted plants out of your lawn and garden.

If you want to take the guesswork out of lawn care, contact a pest control company serving Dublin, Livermore, and San Ramon that also offers lawn and garden spraying. Some providers also offer tree disease treatment and weed control services to save you even more time.

They might not be as frightening as lions, tigers, and bears, but winged stinging insects have their own reasons to be feared. For starters, getting stung by a yellow jacket, bee, or wasp hurts— a lot . If that wasn’t a good enough reason to avoid these stinging flying insects, there have also been numerous reports over the years of people actually dying from yellow jacket, bee, and wasp attacks. With all the extra time you’ll be spending outside over the next couple of months, we put together this brief guide to help you battle these common stinging insects. If your home or business is overrun with yellow jackets, bees, or wasps, contact a pest control provider in Dublin. If the insects begin to swarm, stay indoors until the exterminator arrives.

Distinguishing Between the Different Stinging Flyers Southern Californian yellow jackets are easy to identify by their distinguishing black and yellow markings. Paper wasps are often mistaken for yellow jackets but are in fact much longer in the body and have a much thinner waist compared to their more aggressive cousins. Although honeybees have similar coloration, they are actually mustard yellow and brown. Honeybees are also much thicker and stockier than yellow jackets. Your pest control provider can identify the threat before making your home or business safe.

Sting Prevention Tips Getting stung is never fun, and in some cases can be life-threatening. One of the best things you can do to avoid getting stung by yellow jackets, bees, wasps, or other summer flyers is to gently brush them away instead of swatting at them. When attacked and distressed, many flying insects will release a pheromone in the air that signals the colony it’s time to attack. Also try to avoid floral perfumes, lotions, and hair products when going out to avoid being a major point of interest for yellow jackets, bees, and wasps.

What to Do If You Get Stung Although getting stung never feels good, most instances don’t require medical help. However, you should seek immediate medical care if you or a loved one:

Has been stung more than 10 times

Has been stung in the mouth or throat

Has difficulty breathing or speaking, swelling in the mouth or throat, or tightness in the chest following a yellow jacket, bee, or wasp sting

The cockroach is one of the most common household pests homeowners in Dublin and San Ramon deal with on a daily basis. Fortunately, your pest control provider can get rid of roaches and keep them from coming back. There are also some steps you can take to rid your home of cockroaches.

Start by cleaning up your home or office building. Cockroaches are often drawn into buildings because of the food that is available, and they are not picky in their dietary habits; some roaches will even survive solely off of decaying wood. A multifaceted approach can attack living cockroaches as well as their eggs, completely abolishing the infestation. Leave the pesticide application to your Dublin pest control company and keep pets and children away from areas that are being treated.

Although they are not necessarily dangerous, ants are one of the most common pests that exterminators in Livermore are called to deal with. There are several methods that your pest control company can use when it comes to ant treatment, but prevention is always more favorable than treatment. Fortunately there are steps you can take to make your home or workplace less attractive to these uninvited pests and keep them from invading. Here’s a look at some of the leading causes of any problems.

Scents and Odors Most pests tend to be concerned with little else besides eating, reproducing, and finding shelter. Since a bulk of their time is spent scavenging for food, ants have developed a keen sense of direction when it comes to locating their next meal. Many homeowners that suffer from ant problems do so because their space is extremely attractive to pests . Ants will settle for just about any type of food, but they are particularly inclined to enjoy foods high in sugar. Be sure to clean up your food scraps and take out your garbage regularly, especially during the spring and summer months. Your refrigerator should have a tight seal, and your loose foods should be kept in airtight containers.

Landscaping In addition to food, ants look for moisture and shelter when they relocate. Unfortunately, your landscaping may be pointing them in the right direction, especially if you have any kind of vegetation growing close to your building. Plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs all hold onto moisture as well as provide shelter for ants, making your garden an ideal place for an infestation. If these growths are too close to your house or workplace, they may provide a physical connection that allows ants to move in in droves.

Accidental Entryways One of the most important aspects of ant prevention is sealing the perimeter of your property. Your window screens should not have holes, and your exterior doors should have sweeps to prevent pests and rodents from making their way inside. Seal up any gaps, cracks, or crevices that may offer ants a convenient way in.

Businesses tend to benefit from their property being approachable and inviting, which makes commercial weed control in San Ramon an important aspect of your curbside appeal. In addition to providing commercial pest control services, Performance Pest Management is happy to help you take care of your lawn. Here is a brief overview of the quality lawn and garden services offered by Performance Pest Management.

A pest free lawn is important, but so is a nicely manicured yard and garden. Unfortunately, many lawn and gardens go untended because home and business owners have a number of other important responsibilities that demand their attention. This is where Performance Pest Management wants to help. We are happy to offer tractor mowing and weed control services so that your property can look as appealing and inviting on the outside as it does on the inside. This service is also helpful when it comes to preparing an undeveloped commercial property. If you want to improve the appearance of your building’s exterior but cannot commit to making it happen yourself, call Performance Pest Management in Dublin and set up a scheduled maintenance service to keep your lawn in top shape all year long.